Snow in Shimla, cold wave continues in HP

Published: Saturday, January 26, 2008, 19:32 [IST]

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Shimla, Jan 26 (UNI) Shimla town and its other adjoining areas are today experienced first spell of snowfall this year, even as coldwave further tightened its grip over Himachal Pradesh where night temperatures at several places in the mid and lower hills were recorded below freezing point.

The town had received about four to six cm of fresh snow, the first this year and the fourth in this winter season, met office sources told UNI here.

Without elaborating the reasons for the sudden change in the weather conditions, they said a disturbance over Himachal Pradesh and other adjoining areas with upper air cyclonic circulation, extending up to 6 km above mean sea level, was responsible for fresh spell of snow in the state.

The sources said Shimla town had recorded about four to six cm of snowfall, followed by 10 cm at Kufri, 15 cm each at Fagu and Mashobra and about 20 cm at Narkanda, up to 1730 hrs.

Several places in the mid and lower hills of the state are also experiencing moderate to heavy snowfall since this morning, plummeting temperatures in the entire region.

Patsieo, Udaipur and Dhundi had so far recorded over 30 cm of fresh snowfall, while Solang Nullah and Bhang Manali in Kullu district had received 25 to 30 cm of fresh snow, the sources said.

The Met office said Kalpa, Sangla and Rekong Peo in Kinnuar district was experiencing fresh snowfall and had so far recorded about 30 cm of snowfall. The famous tourist resort of Manali in Kullu district also had snowfall.

Traffic on the National Highway beyond Dhalli has been affected due to snowfall at Khara Pathar, Fagu, Narkanda and several other places in the district, forcing the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) authorities to divert vehicles via Basantpur.